Facts:

• Michael John M. Gonzales, a seaman, was employed by Grieg Philippines, Inc. under a nine-month contract starting April 20, 2013.
• This was Gonzales' third contract with Grieg.
• He was deployed to the general cargo vessel Star Florida after passing a Pre-Employment Medical Examination.
• In August 2013, Gonzales experienced symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain in his left leg, fatigue, fever, and headaches.
• He was advised to take paracetamol and rest.
• A week later, he sought medical attention in South Korea, where his tests showed normal results, and he was sent back to work.
• In September 2013, his symptoms returned, now including black tarry stools.
• He was confined in a hospital in Indonesia and diagnosed with "pancytopenia suspect aplastic anemia."
• Gonzales was declared unfit for sea duty and repatriated on October 8, 2013.
• Upon his return, he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia by company physicians, who opined that his illness was not work-related.
• Despite this, Grieg continued to pay for his treatment for humanitarian reasons.
• Gonzales sought a second opinion from an independent physician, Dr. Emmanuel Trinidad, who certified that his leukemia was work-related.
• After his disability claims were refused, Gonzales filed a complaint before the Labor Arbiter on July 15, 2014.
• The Labor Arbiter ruled in favor of Gonzales, awarding him permanent total disability compensation, sickness allowance, and attorney's fees.
• Grieg's appeal to the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) was denied, as was their motion for reconsideration.
• The Court of Appeals upheld the NLRC's decision, leading Grieg to file a Petition for Review on Certiorari before the Supreme Court.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court denied the petition for review.
• The decision of the National Labor Relations Commission and the Court of Appeals was upheld.
• The Court affirmed...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Supreme Court held that a seaman only needs to show a reasonable linkage between his work and the contracted illness for a disability claim to prosper.
• The 2000 Philippine Overseas Employment Administration-Standard Employment Contract (POEA-SEC) defines work-related illness as any sickness resulting in disability or death as a result of an occupational disease listed under Section 32-A of the contract.
• Acute myeloid leukemia, secondary to prolonged benzene exposure, is listed as an occupational disease.
• Gonzales provided evidence that his duties as an Ordinary Seaman involved exposure to harmful chemicals, including benzene, which could have contributed to his leukemia.
• The Court note...continue reading